The Last Winter Journey Living in a Van

We departed Nantahala National Forest and set off to our next destination, migrating north towards colder weather. We have quite a few exciting destinations we last-minute planned to visit, simply because why not? One of those stops involved beautiful waterfalls within Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina. But first, let's make sure the cats get their exercise for the day. Named after Mount Pisgah, which refers to the biblical peak where Moses overlooked the promised land, Pisgah National Forest was one of the first national forests of the United States, stretching across over 500,000 acres. The land was considered as land that no one wanted due to extensive logging and deforestation, but is now thriving and its biodiversity is protected. The weather here was extremely comfortable, reaching between 60 to 70 degrees, but as we continued to travel higher, the temperature grew colder. Today we will be visiting our first national park in over a year. We've never been to any place quite like this, so we couldn't possibly pass up the opportunity. Mammoth Cave National Park offers hidden wonders underneath the surface and holds diverse stories about the dark subterranean depths, lush forests, and valleys. Discoveries of prehistoric indigenous people can be found throughout the cave, along with lucrative mining for dirt that was turned into gunpowder in the 19th century. A man named Dr. Krogan even tried to use the cave to help victims of tuberculosis by opening up a hospital within the cave walls. He claimed the temperature and humidity would be therapeutic, but after five months the experimental hospital was not a success and it was closed down. Mammoth Cave is the world's longest known cave system, with 412 mapped and explored miles within its walls. Our next destination took us to the Land Between the Lakes, which dates back to pre-civil war days. Its name was created due to the land being split between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, where you can find both elk and bison.